Power supply device

• US 9,014,866 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2011
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Moriai, Shiho, Masato, Tsuyoshi, Uesaka, Shinichi, Ozawa, Atsushi, Katagi, Masanobu, Ono, Tomoyuki, Tsuchida, Kazuhito, Hotta, Shin, Nakamura, Kazuo, Marutani, Kentaro
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Karim, Ziaul
• Application Number:
  US13/230,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20120072042A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,317 Days
• Field of Search: 700/297, 700/90, 700/286
• US Class Current: 700/297
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/445 by mutual authentication, e.g. between devices or programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/70 Protecting specific internal or peripheral components, in which the protection of a component leads to protection of the entire computer
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0833 involving conference or group key network architectures or network communication protocols for key management in group communication in a packet data network H04L63/065
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

A power supply device including: (a) a power supply unit group composed of a plurality of power supply units and connected with a power consuming appliance; and (b) a control device configured to control the power supply unit group, wherein the control device and each of the power supply units are connected to each other by a communicating circuit.

Claims

1. A power supply device comprising:

(a) a power supply unit group composed of a plurality of power supply units and connected with a power consuming appliance; and

(b) a control device configured to control the power supply unit group, wherein the control device and each of the power supply units are connected to each other by a communicating circuit, wherein

when a power supply unit is removed from the power supply unit group, the control device updates a cryptographic key shared to perform communication between the control device and each of the power supply units, wherein

when the power supply unit is returned to the power supply unit group, the control device checks whether the power supply unit returned to the power supply unit group is the power supply unit removed from the power supply unit group, and when the power supply unit returned to the power supply unit group is the power supply unit removed from the power supply unit group, the control device sends the cryptographic key to the power supply unit returned to the power supply unit group, and wherein

when a power supply unit that is not the power supply unit removed from the power supply unit group is incorporated into the power supply unit group, the control device checks whether the power supply unit that is not the power supply unit removed from the power supply unit group is an authorized or an unauthorized power supply unit,

wherein, when the power supply unit that is not the power supply unit removed from the power supply unit group is an authorized power supply unit, the control device sends the cryptographic key to the power supply unit that is not the power supply unit removed from the power supply unit group,

and when the power supply unit that is not the power supply unit removed from the power supply unit group is an unauthorized power supply unit, the control device does not send the cryptographic key to the power supply unit that is not the power supply unit removed from the power supply unit group and blocks communication between the control device and the power supply unit that is not the power supply unit removed from the power supply unit group.

2. The power supply device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a power generating device, wherein

the control device and the power generating device are connected to each other by a communicating circuit, when communication between the power generating device and the control device is blocked, the control device updates the cryptographic key, and

when the communication between the power generating device and the control device is restored, the control device checks whether the power generating device is the power generating device when the communication between the power generating device and the control device was blocked, and when the power generating device is the power generating device when the communication between the power generating device and the control device was blocked, the control device sends the cryptographic key to the power generating device.

3. The power supply device according to claim 2, wherein when a power generating device that is not the power generating device of claim 2 is connected to the control device by a communicating circuit, the control device checks whether the power generating device that is not the power generating device of claim 2 is an authorized power generating device, and when the power generating device that is not the power generating device of claim 2 is an authorized power generating device, the control device sends the cryptographic key to the power generating device that is not the power generating device of claim 2.

4. The power supply device according to claim 2, wherein when a power generating device that is not the power generating device of claim 2 is connected to the control device by a communicating circuit, the control device checks whether the power generating device that is not the power generating device of claim 2 is an authorized power generating device, and when the power generating device that is not the power generating device of claim 2 is an unauthorized power generating device, the control device does not send the cryptographic key to the power generating device that is not the power generating device of claim 2 and blocks communication between the control device and the power generating device that is not the power generating device of claim 2.

5. The power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the control device and the power consuming appliance are connected to each other by a communicating circuit, when communication between the power consuming appliance and the control device is blocked, the control device updates the cryptographic key, and

when the communication between the power consuming appliance and the control device is restored, the control device checks whether the power consuming appliance is the power consuming appliance when the communication between the power consuming appliance and the control device was blocked, and when the power consuming appliance is the power consuming appliance when the communication between the power consuming appliance and the control device was blocked, the control device sends the cryptographic key to the power consuming appliance.

6. The power supply device according to claim 5, wherein when a power consuming appliance that is not the power consuming appliance of claim 5 is connected to the control device by a communicating circuit, the control device checks whether the power consuming appliance that is not the power consuming appliance of claim 5 is an authorized power consuming appliance, and when the power consuming appliance that is not the power consuming appliance of claim 5 is an authorized power consuming appliance, the control device sends the cryptographic key to the power consuming appliance that is not the power consuming appliance of claim 5.

7. The power supply device according to claim 5, wherein when a power consuming appliance that is not the power consuming appliance of claim 5 is connected to the control device by a communicating circuit, the control device checks whether the power consuming appliance that is not the power consuming appliance of claim 5 is an authorized power consuming appliance, and when the power consuming appliance that is not the power consuming appliance of claim 5 is an unauthorized power consuming appliance, the control device does not send the cryptographic key to the power consuming appliance that is not the power consuming appliance of claim 5 and blocks communication between the control device and the power consuming appliance that is not the power consuming appliance of claim 5.

8. The power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the power supply units include:

(A) a casing having a shape of a prism;

(B) a secondary battery cell housed within the casing;

(C) a charge and discharge controlling device housed within the casing and connected to the secondary battery cell;

(D) at least one power input section disposed in the casing and connected to the charge and discharge controlling device; and

(E) at least one power output section disposed in the casing and connected to the charge and discharge controlling device.